It’s almost here — the biggest shopping event of the year! Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) may seem like they’re still a ways off, but trust us, they’ll be here before you know it.
And Black Friday 2024 is set to break records yet again! In 2023, global online sales grew 8%, hitting $70.9 billion, with the U.S. seeing a 9% surge to $16.4 billion. ECommerce continues to dominate, and if you want to ride this wave, the time to start planning is N O W.
When done right, Black Friday isn’t just about running a few big promotions and calling it a day. It’s a well-thought-out, multi-phase process that demands coordination, creativity, and, most importantly, preparation — especially when it comes to email marketing. Your emails are going to be one of the biggest drivers of traffic and sales during this hectic period.
So, where do you start?
Let's break it down into digestible stages: Planning, Pre-Peak Month, BFCM (Peak Month), and Post-BFCM.
1. Planning (The Time Is Now!)
Before the holiday rush hits, it’s all about getting your ducks in a row. You don’t want to be scrambling when Black Friday weekend arrives.
- Clarify Your Strategy: First things first — do you have a clear email marketing strategy? If not, now’s the time to either pull in some expert advice or rally your team to focus on how emails will drive sales during BFCM. What role will your emails play? Are they building hype, pushing last-minute offers, or both?
- Coordinate with Other Campaigns: Make sure that any other campaigns you have planned don’t overlap or compete with your BFCM efforts. Email messaging during BFCM needs to be clear and consistent, so review your content calendar and adjust any conflicting schedules.
- Set Your BFCM Goals: What are you hoping to achieve with this sale season? Whether it’s growing your email list, recovering abandoned carts, or simply boosting revenue, your email campaigns should be directly aligned with these goals. For example, if your goal is customer acquisition, consider offering a killer welcome discount in your email flows to reel people in.
2. Pre-Peak Month (Laying the Groundwork)
Once the planning is out of the way, it’s time to start fine-tuning your emails and gearing up for the BFCM madness.
- Revamp Your Automated Flows: Your email flows are going to be your secret weapon during BFCM. Review and optimize key flows like your Welcome Series, Abandoned Cart emails, and Post-Purchase follow-ups. Make sure they reflect BFCM offers, urgency, and perhaps a little extra holiday cheer. This is a great time to add in exclusive deals or limited-time offers to make these flows even more irresistible.
- Build and Schedule Promo Emails: Now’s the time to start crafting and scheduling your promotional emails. Think about sending teasers, sneak peeks, and early-bird offers. Build excitement by dropping hints of what’s coming and give your audience something to look forward to.
- A/B Test Everything: From subject lines to email layouts, this is your chance to test what works best with your audience. Try different approaches—should you highlight a huge discount or focus on free shipping? Testing now will give you valuable insights before the big weekend, so you can hit the ground running with optimized emails.
3. BFCM (Peak Month—Time to Shine!)
The moment you’ve been planning for has finally arrived. It’s BFCM time, and now it’s all about execution.
- Crank Up Email Frequency: During Black Friday weekend, it’s okay to send more emails than usual—your customers expect it! However, make sure every email offers something new or exciting. One might be a reminder about a limited-time offer, another might highlight best-sellers, and another could focus on abandoned carts.
- Monitor and Adapt in Real-Time: Stay on top of how your emails are performing. If your open rates are dipping, try tweaking your subject lines or resending to more engaged subscribers. Keep an eye on how people are interacting with your emails and be ready to pivot if needed.
- Automated Flows Are Your Best Friend: While you’re running around managing the chaos, your email flows should be quietly working in the background. Make sure your Abandoned Cart, Browse Abandonment, and Post-Purchase flows are running like a well-oiled machine. These automated emails will help recover lost sales and keep customers engaged, without you having to lift a finger.
4. Post-BFCM (The Afterparty)
Phew! You made it through the Black Friday rush. But guess what? Your work isn’t over yet. The post-BFCM period is just as important as the build-up.
- Follow Up with a Thank-You Email: Don’t let the relationship end at checkout. Send a post-purchase thank-you email to show appreciation, and offer some personalized product recommendations. This is a great way to keep your brand fresh in customers’ minds and potentially drive more sales through upselling or cross-selling.
- Analyze and Learn from Your Campaign: Once the dust settles, dig into your data. Which emails performed the best? What subject lines had the highest open rates? Use this data to refine your strategy not just for next year, but also for your holiday campaigns and beyond.
- Transition into Holiday Campaigns: Use the momentum from BFCM to transition into your December holiday promotions. Don’t let your foot off the gas! Retarget BFCM buyers with follow-up offers or suggest gift ideas based on their previous purchases. Your email list is warm, so now’s the time to keep the engagement going.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday might be just a weekend on the calendar, but they require months of careful planning and strategy—especially when it comes to email marketing. Whether you're prepping your email flows or sending real-time offers during the big day, every step is critical for turning traffic into sales and first-time buyers into loyal customers.
So, get ahead, set your goals, and let your email campaigns do the heavy lifting for you. Your future self (and your revenue numbers) will thank you!
